MEDICAL FIRSTS

28 Nov MEDICAL FIRSTS

‘The Art of Medicine’ is a five-part educational short film series – developed as a bridge to help medical students connect the world of science (pre-clerkship) with the world of lived experience (clerkship).

Supported by small group-based curricula sessions; 3rd and 4th year medical students make meaning of and positively adjust to their early clinical experiences through discussion and the development of strong coping techniques.

Each film profiles physicians and medical students sharing stories of their first experiences in medicine, covering the following themes: ‘Rites of Passage’, ‘Patients’, ‘Mistakes’, ‘Privileged’, and ‘Death + Dying’.

This project was created by University of Alberta, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry under the Canadian Physician Health Institute; the Canadian Physician Health Institute is dedicated to improving the health of Canadian physicians, and is the result of co-operative participation between the Canadian Medical Association and the Canadian Medical Foundation.

Along with increasing awareness of the many challenging learning transitions medical students face, there is growing interest in the health and well-being of medical trainees. Funded by the Canadian Physician Health Initiative, this project has involved the creation of a series of digital shorts and the development and implementation of small group-based curricula sessions directed to helping 3rd- and 4th-year medical students make meaning of, and positively adjust to their early clinical experiences. The partners who direct the We Are All Average: A Production House (D.Lewis, a 4th year medical student & A.Helleman, both award-winning filmmakers) and medical educators (P.Brett-MacLean, J.Walton and A.Oswald, along with V.Anand and T.Hillier) at the University of Alberta have collaborated on developing, and exploring the educational value of, film-based documentary vignettes as an educational resource for medical students to reflect on a variety of “first clinical experiences” they are likely face have in clerkship and residency. Themes considered in the series include “Rites of Passage,” “Learning from Patients,” “Mistakes”, “Death & Dying”, and “Privilege”.

The Medical Firsts video series has been designed to provide a bridge that will help medical students to connect the world of science (pre-clerkship) with the world of lived experience (clerkship). Physicians profiled in the short vignettes describe a variety of “firsts” they have experienced as challenging or difficult, as well as positive and rewarding, in the early years of their clinical training. They also discuss strategies that helped them to cope with their early clinical experiences, including seeking support from fellow students, preceptors, professionals, or trusted others.